Big 10 Basketball Preview

Big 10 basketball is the wool sweater that comforts the American Midwest during these dogged winter months. Whenever you are feeling demoralized driving home from work in the pitch black because of daylight savings, Dave Revsine has something to analyze on the Big Ten Network that keeps you away from instantly indulging in a gulp of Nyquil and heading upstairs to rest up for another riveting workday trapped in the ever-closing walls of an office cubicle. In a constantly changing college basketball landscape filled with "one-and-done" players and 17 team conferences, the Big 10 remains more pure than Deja Blue. Basketball hotbeds like Illinois and Indiana, Detroit and Ohio, all send their native sons to battle in Big 10 Arenas from 'The Barn' to the Breslin Center. This year, however, may even be more exciting than most. With 5 teams in the USA Today Coaches Poll top 25, and with Minnesota receiving votes like a sophomore homecoming court candidate, this could definitely be an excitement filled 2011 campaign. While the Big 10 is often praised for its parity every year, the only way I am going to mention Iowa, Penn St., Indiana and Michigan this year is by way of a parody (of course, no pun intended). But with both Illinois Big 10 teams relevant, and Michigan St., Ohio St., Purdue and Wisconsin all boasting formidable squads this winter, a preview is definitely in order this season. I'm just a little upset Steve "the straw that stirs the drink" Lavin won't be around this year to analyze it.

Illinois- As I outlined in the Illinois preview blog a while back, the Illini have a lot to look forward to in 2011. With the highest preseason ranking since their magical run to the national title game in 2005, the citizens of Champaign may have the possibility of poppin' some Champagne in their near future. Led by Seniors Demitri McCamey and Mike Tisdale, Illinois has better "starters" than your neighborhood Applebees. If Bruce Weber can coddle freshman phenom Jereme Richmond and infiltrate him into the already potent lineup of returners, Illinois can put up points with the conferences elite. But, when 'if' and 'Bruce Weber' are used consecutively in a sentence, the result isn't always good.

Northwestern-In the Chicago sports scene, only one team boasts an equally embarrassing streak to the Chicago Cubs World Series-less century, and that streak lies in the Wildcats inability a ever receive an invite to the "Big Dance." Northwestern's futility has stretched far and wide--they haven't finished above 4th place since Adolf Hitler and Mussolini were running the show in WWII. Nonetheless, Northwestern calls one of the league's most unorthodox yet effective scorers their own in John Shurna, and have a 4 year starter running the point in Michael "Juice" Thompson. However, with many people betting on this to be the year the purple and white play into deep March, I don't feel so sure. With their star forward Kevin Coble opting to stay off the team in favor of his pursuit for his diploma (I think you can see clearly here where NU's problem lies), the "Mild-cats" don't have enough firepower to win the conference games necessary in the Big 10 to secure an at-large bid. Also, I think fans in the state of Illinois have rescinded their trust in believing in a team leader referred to as "Juice". Is he really worth the squeeze?

Purdue- The Baby Boilers aren't so young anymore, as most of the freshman crop that put West Lafayette on the map (I have no idea where it is still) a few years back are now nearing the end of their college careers. With Chris Kramer gone living the highly regarded D-League lifestyle with the NBDL's Fort Wayne Mad Ants, consistently perusing the isles of Super K-Mart seeking blue-light specials like Octomom, Purdue is absent of their senior leader from a year ago. And with All-America shoe-in Robbie Hummel sidelined for the year with a torn-up knee, Purdue and the Paint Crew's expectations have simmered since the preseason. But with E'Twaun Moore and Jajuan Johnson now quarterbacking the squad under the coaching of Matt Painter, Purdue might just overachieve and Boiler up to the top of the Big 10 standings.

Wisconsin- In being the only team I've seen live thus far this season (they exhibitioned my former squad, the UW-LaCrosse Eagles on Saturday in Madison. Don't worry, the Eagles covered), I don't feel comfortable crowning the Badgers with the conferences elite. Maybe I just don't like the Badgers, but Mike Bruesewitz is on the cusp of becoming the most annoying player in the NCAA since Psycho T ruled the streets of Chapel Hill. They have seemingly the same personnel, the same uniforms, and the same record every year. The monotony associated with Bo Ryan and Wisconsin basketball wears me out like a YMCA elliptical machine. Now am I going to bet against the Badgers at home? No, I'd have a better shot at covering a "culture prop" that the premise of the movie 2012 is actually going to become reality. I just hope those liberals in Madtown don't start a forest fire "flicking their Bics" when they realize that the Badgers are again a first weekend casualty of the NCAA tourney in March, they should be used to it by now.

Michigan St.- Is Michigan St. overrated this year under Izzo? Izz-no. Ok, that may have been the corniest thing I've ever said on the internet, but it's the truth. Izzo consistently has Sparty competing for a Big 10 title on a yearly basis, and was rewarded this summer with a courtship from the Cleveland Cavaliers that reeked of desperation. In coming off a Final Four season, MSU returns conference POY front-runner Kalin Lucas, forward Draymond Green and Sr. guard Durrel Summers. Michigan St. is deep. Maybe even too deep. Still, if you want my pick for conference champ, I'd have to "go green" and stick with Sparty.

Ohio St.- If anyone has a better roster on paper than the boys from East Lansing, it's Thad Motta and his tOSU program that he has converted into a national power. In losing Evan Turner, the Bucks are stripped of the league's most versatile player, but the other 4 starters from last year's Big 10 conference tourney champs are still on the Columbus, OH campus, including Center Dallas "The African Cowboy" Lauderdale and Sr. guard, Jon Diebler. If the Buckeyes end up walking away with the Big 10 football crown this fall and somehow cut down the nets as Big 10 conference champs this winter, I'm going to lose my mind. But I guess Ohio needs it, the Cavs suck and Peyton Hillis is the Browns' best player (he looks like a guy you'd meet doing tricep extensions at the Y) , Major League couldn't have picked a more tortured sports city, if only Jake Taylor was a real person.

Prediction:
Michigan St.
Illinois
Ohio St./Purdue-tie
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Northwestern
Michigan
Penn St.
Indiana
Iowa

As for pick of the day, the Pulse Man was blanked in another Saturday 6 pack and is reeling in a quarter-life crisis. It's clear that the elementary aged kids he's spending 6 hours a day with (he's a teacher, don't get weird) are rubbing off on his betting strategies and eating habits. He once admitted that "he only eats once a day on the weekends." Desperately trying to find salvation in the NBA's Eastern Conference, the Pulse Man likes the Bucks giving 4.5 to the Knicks tomorrow night at the Bradley Center.

Pick of the Day: Knicks @ Bucks (-4.5)- BUCKS (-105)

Record:(29-23-0)

Now I'm done. Rack me

Frost